--- title: Crisis in Crimea: Unrest in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold description: Related Content: The Standoff at Belbek: Inside the First Clash of the Second Crimean War A Tense Standoff In A Crimean Village Ukraine Mobilizes Troops... canonical: https://time.com/11092/crisis-in-crimea-unrest-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/ author: TIME Staff article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-02-27T16:32:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:08:36.978Z article:section: World og:title: Crisis in Crimea: Unrest in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold og:description: Related Content: The Standoff at Belbek: Inside the First Clash of the Second Crimean War A Tense Standoff In A Crimean Village Ukraine Mobilizes Troops... og:url: https://time.com/11092/crisis-in-crimea-unrest-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fe7e2783e8af591/69868370d0b6f2e24a303082/koy201403020001.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: A priest stands next to troops in Perevalnoye on Sunday. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Crisis in Crimea: Unrest in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold twitter:description: Related Content: The Standoff at Belbek: Inside the First Clash of the Second Crimean War A Tense Standoff In A Crimean Village Ukraine Mobilizes Troops... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fe7e2783e8af591/69868370d0b6f2e24a303082/koy201403020001.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Crisis in Crimea: Unrest in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Feb 27, 2014 4:32 PM CUT  A priest stands next to troops in Perevalnoye on Sunday. A priest stands next to troops in Perevalnoye on Sunday.Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Feb 27, 2014 4:32 PM CUT **Related Content:** [The Standoff at Belbek: Inside the First Clash of the Second Crimean War](http://world.time.com/2014/03/04/ukraine-crimea-belbek-russia/ "undefined") [A Tense Standoff In A Crimean Village](http://world.time.com/2014/03/02/russia-ukraine-crimea-standoff/ "undefined") [Ukraine Mobilizes Troops For War](http://world.time.com/2014/03/02/ukraine-mobilizes-troops-for-war/ "undefined") [Many Ukrainians Want Russia To Invade](http://world.time.com/2014/03/01/many-ukrainians-want-russia-to-invade/ "undefined") [Ousted Ukraine Leader Vows to Keep Fighting](http://world.time.com/2014/02/28/ukraine-viktor-yanukovich-russia-crimea/ "undefined") [Ukraine Says Russian Military Blocking Airports and Roads](http://world.time.com/2014/02/28/ukraine-russian-military-blockades-crimean-airports-and-roads/ "undefined") [Ukraine’s New Leaders Struggle to Govern Under the Gun](http://world.time.com/2014/02/27/ukraines-new-leaders-struggle-to-govern-under-the-gun/ "undefined") [Gunmen Seize Parliament in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold](http://world.time.com/2014/02/27/gunmen-seize-parliament-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/ "undefined")  The Big Khan Mosque in Bakhchysaray, Crimea, March 6, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Ethnic Crimean Tatars pray at The Big Khan Mosque in Bakhchysaray, March 6, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Locals talk to the Russian soldiers near Ukrainian military base in Perevalnoye, Crimea, March 6, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Pro-Russian demonstrators rally in front of the local parliament building in Crimea's capital Simferopol, March 6, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Cossacks and Ukrainian police detain feminist protesters who interrupted a pro-Russian rally with shouts of “Stop Putin’s war” in Simferopol, Crimea, March 6, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Man watches a pro-Russian rally near the local parliament building in Crimea's capital Simferopol, March 6, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Pro-Russian gathering in Yevpatoria, Ukraine, March 5, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  People at a pro-Russian gathering in Yevpatoria, Ukraine, March 5, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Woman watches a pro-Russian gathering in Yevpatoria, Ukraine, March 5, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Ukrainian officers on guard at the Belbek air force base, outside Sevastopol, March 4, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Unarmed Ukrainian soldiers, carrying a Soviet air-regiment banner, approach Russian positions on the perimeter of the contested Belbek air-force base in Crimea, Ukraine, on March 4, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Unarmed Ukrainian soldiers approach Russian positions on the perimeter of the contested Belbek air force base in Crimea, March 4, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Ukrainian soldiers at the Belbek air force base in Crimea, March 4, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Ukrainian sailors, on a ship blocked by Russian forces, spoke to their relatives at the port of Sevastopol, March 4, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Russian soldiers speak to a family near the Ukrainian military base in Bakhchysaray, Crimea, March 3, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Sailors stand on board the Ukrainian navy corvette Ternopil at harbor of Sevastopol, March 3, 2014. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  A Ukrainian woman reacts as troops in unmarked uniforms hold positions in Perevalnoye, a small Ukrainian base roughly 15 miles south of Simferopol on Sunday, March 2, 2014\. About two dozen Ukrainian soldiers could be seen behind her. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Troops stand guard near the base in Perevalnoye on Sunday. Hundreds of soldiers in unmarked uniforms surrounded the base, using vehicles with Russian license plates. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  A priest stands next to troops in Perevalnoye on Sunday. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Members of a pro-Russian group stationed themselves in front of government buildings and a statue of Lenin in Simferopol on Sunday. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Members of a pro- Russian group raise a Russian flag in front of a military base in Simferopol on Sunday. Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME  Troops in unmarked uniforms stand guard in Balaklava on the outskirts of Sevastopol, Ukraine, Saturday, March 1, 2014. Andrew Lubimov—AP  A woman waves a Russian flag as armed servicemen wait near Russian army vehicles outside a Ukrainian border guard post in the Crimean town of Balaclava, March 1, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  Armed servicemen wait in Russian army vehicles in the Crimean town of Balaclava, March 1, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  A flag of the Russian Navy hangs from a tree as policemen stand guard in front of the local parliament building on Feb. 28, 2014 in Simferopol. Genya Savilov—AFP/Getty Images  Pro-Russian supporters rally outside the Crimean parliament building on Feb. 28, 2014 in Simferopol. Sean Gallup—Getty Images  Soldiers, who were wearing no identifying insignia and declined to say whether they were Russian or Ukrainian, patrol outside the Simferopol International Airport after a pro-Russian crowd had gathered on Feb. 28, 2014. Sean Gallup—Getty Images  The gunmen wearing similar military uniforms without markings leave the scene by military trucks after captured the airport in the capital of Ukraine's Crimea region, Simferopol on Feb. 28, 2014. Bulent Doruk—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images  Russian troops block the road way towards the military airport at the Black Sea port of Sevastopol in Crimea, Feb. 28, 2014. Andrew Lubimov—AP  Sheep graze next to an old election sign on a road from Simferopol to Sevastopol reads "Yanukovych is the hope of Crimea", Feb. 27, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  A Pro-Russian demonstrator waves Russian and Crimea flags atop an old Soviet Army tank during a protest in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Feb. 27, 2014. Darko Vojinovic—AP  People carry a giant Russian flag during a pro-Russian rally in Simferopol, Feb. 27, 2014. David Mdzinarishvili—Reuters  Men stand during a pro-Russian rally outside the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol, Feb. 27, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  Barricades block the entrance to government buildings in Simferopol, Crimea, with a banner that reads "Crimea Russia," Feb. 27, 2014. Darko Vojinovic—;AP  A Ukrainian man walks away after being injured in a stampede during clashes at rallies held by ethnic Russians and Crimean Tatars near the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol, Feb. 26, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  Ukrainian men help pull one another out of a stampede beneath a flag of Crimea during clashes at rallies held by ethnic Russians and Crimean Tatars near the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol Feb. 26, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  Ukrainian and Russian supporters clash during a protest near the Parliament building in Simferopol, Feb. 26, 2014. Arthur Shvarts—EPA  Pro-Russian activists pray near the Crimean Parliament building in Simferopol, Feb. 26, 2014. Arthur Shvarts—EPA  Crimean Tatars hold flags during rallies near the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol, Feb. 26, 2014. Baz Ratner—Reuters  Ukrainian police officers guard local government building during a protest in Simferopol, Feb. 26, 2014. Darko Vojinovic—AP ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/11092/crisis-in-crimea-unrest-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/11092/crisis-in-crimea-unrest-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/"},"headline":"Crisis in Crimea: Unrest in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold","datePublished":"2014-02-27T16:32:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:08:36.978Z","description":"Related Content: The Standoff at Belbek: Inside the First Clash of the Second Crimean War A Tense Standoff In A Crimean Village Ukraine Mobilizes Troops...","url":"https://time.com/11092/crisis-in-crimea-unrest-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/","keywords":["Ukraine","russia","Viktor Yanukovych","Crimea"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fe7e2783e8af591/69868370d0b6f2e24a303082/koy201403020001.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fe7e2783e8af591/69868370d0b6f2e24a303082/koy201403020001.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A priest stands next to troops in Perevalnoye on Sunday.","caption":"A priest stands next to troops in Perevalnoye on Sunday.","creditText":"Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/11092/crisis-in-crimea-unrest-in-ukraines-russian-stronghold/","name":"Crisis in Crimea: Unrest in Ukraine’s Russian Stronghold"}}]}] ```